The prior art is replete with numerous examples of various auxiliary signaling assemblies which have been employed for various purposes on overland vehicles of assorted designs. As a general matter, these auxiliary signaling assemblies have utilized assorted semitransparent mirrors including dichroic and electrochromic type mirrors as well as neutrally chromatic mirrors which have been modified, in various fashions, so as to be rendered semitransparent.
In addition to the use of various semitransparent mirrors, assorted mirror housing modifications have been made which have added operational features to these same signaling assemblies. The modifications have included such things as exterior lamps which have been useful for illuminating the side of the vehicle, or the underlying earth beside the vehicle, in order to provide assistance to an operator when they are leaving or entering the vehicle during reduced periods of visibility. Auxiliary signaling assemblies such as found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,014,167; 6,005,724; and 6,076,948 for example have found wide acceptance and are now found on various overland vehicles including passenger cars, sport utility vehicles, trucks, and motorcycles.
In view of the increased commercial acceptance of such devices, designers have increasingly focused on both interior and exterior mirrors as regions in which various warning lamps or indicators may be located so as to provide periodic information to the operator regarding the operational condition of the overland vehicle, or other conditions such as ambient environmental conditions which could effect the safe operation of the overland vehicle. Such warning lamps and indicators have provided such information as tire pressure, temperature, and proximity to fixed objects which may be impacted when the vehicle is being operated in reverse, for example.
While the various auxiliary signaling assemblies and mirrors, as referenced above, have operated with a great deal of success, there have been shortcomings which have detracted from their individual usefulness. For example, many of the prior art designs are quite complex. For example, several of the prior art auxiliary signaling assemblies which have been utilized heretofore have resulted in an increase in the size of the exterior mirror housing in order to accommodate the auxiliary signaling lamps. In other arrangements, the addition of the auxiliary signaling assemblies has resulted in an increase in the complexity of the electrical conduits that are necessary to provide electrical power to the various assemblies in the mirror. Various solutions have been suggested to this problem including integrating various electrical conduits into preexisting mirror assembly components such as heaters or the like. Notwithstanding these efforts, the space remaining within a mirror housing is quite limited. With the continued emphasis on providing increased features which are available to the operator from the rear and side view mirrors, problems begin to arise with respect to the dissipation of heat energy generated as a result of the energizing of various light emitting diodes which are utilized to provide the visibly discernable light which can be discerned by the operator of the overland vehicle. Failure to dissipate excessive amounts of this heat energy can result in a shortened operational lifetime for these same assemblies.
In the present invention, the inventors have departed from the teachings of the prior art by providing an electromagnetic radiation assembly which can achieve all the benefits provided by the previous prior art assemblies while avoiding many of the shortcomings associated therewith.
These and other aspects of the present invention will be discussed in greater detail hereinafter.